Principal Systems Engineer

In this Principal role, you lead the integration, test, and verification strategy for advanced EO/IR sensing systems within GCAP. You shape both physical and digital integration across multi-disciplinary teams, from late design to production readiness. You’ll drive model-based and synthetic environments to accelerate validation in a defence context, delivering robust acceptance and transitions to production. The role offers impact on next-gen sensing capabilities and cross‑border collaboration in technically challenging programmes.

• generous leave with up to 12 flexi-days
• pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution
• mental health support and wellbeing resources
• free access to Coursera and LinkedIn Learning
• bonus scheme for eligible employees
• private healthcare and flexible benefits

• Define integration and verification approaches for late-lifecycle delivery from component to system-level
• Develop and maintain the GCAP EOIR ITEA master plan including sequencing, risks, and maturity criteria
• Lead system integration and test architecture and ensure testability in product design
• Define verification architectures: physical, HIL, and synthetic environments, plus lab/field configurations
• Lead development of EOIR digital/synthetic integration/test environments and MBSE approaches
• Coordinate integration activities across EOIR, software, electronics, mechanics, detector, optics, and processing disciplines
• Support design reviews, verification reviews, readiness reviews, qualification reviews, and customer acceptance activities
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to systems engineers on ITEA activities
• Identify risks early and develop mitigation plans, support programme planning and cost estimation

• Experience leading system integration and test on complex engineered products in regulated environments
• Proven track record in late lifecycle delivery (post-CDR integration, qualification, acceptance, release)
• Strong systems engineering foundation (requirements, architecture, interfaces, verification, acceptance)

• Stakeholder coordination
• Technical leadership and mentoring
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Model-based systems engineering (MBSE)
• Digital twins, synthetic environments, HIL/SIL
• EOIR sensing systems experience or related mission systems